Cushion connection for vehicle springs



July 31, 1%23- 3,463,655

r A. F. MASURY ET AL CUSHION CONNECTION FOR VEHICLE SPRINGS Filed June '1. '1922 N Patented July 31, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT omen.

ALFRED F. MASURY AND AUGUST n. LEIPERT, or NEW YORK, N. assrcnons 'ro INTERNATIONAL MOTOR, COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. 'Y., A CORPORATION 01 DELAWARE,

CUSHION CONNECTION FOR VEHICLE SPRINGS Application filed: June 1,

panying drawings, forming a part hereof.

. This invention relates to cushion connections of the character-described and claimed in Letters Patent of the. United States No.

1,404,876 'in, which a. wholly non-metallic mechanical connection and support is interposed between an end of a vehicle spring and the frame. The present invention is concerned, with a particular application of the invention claimed broadly in said Patent No. 1,404,876 and will find its greatest usefulness in association with" vehicle springs having relatively great deflection.

The invention is not to be limited, however,

to any particular application although as described with reference to the illustrated embodiment it will be understood that it is intended primarily to take care of the condition found on the rear springs of motor vehicles and particularly 'leasure passenger cars, where t e spring de ection 15 so great that. the spring actually bends from convex form to concave form through a median position of maximum elongation.

In accordance with the present lnvention it is proposed to retain all of the advant'ages characteristic of cushion connections of thetype disclosed in said Patent No.

,I 1,404,876 1n so far as concerns the non-metallic and resilient properties of the connection and, in addition, provide for a suspension wherein maximum elongation of the spring is permitted without requiring thecushion connections to compensate for such elongation through compression. For m-' stance, in pleasure cars it is not unusual for the maximum deflection of the rear springs to exceed six inches. Where theends of the springs are confinedby aushion connec-' tions of the improved charactershown in Patent No. 1,404,876 such elongation might require deformation of the resilient connec- 1922. Serial No. 585,069;

tions to. a corresponding degree; Such confinement of the spring even though effected through yieldingmeans results in a. tend ency to over-stress it and the deformation.

of the resilient blocks likewise results in the storing up of energ the accumulative action of the stressed spring and the compressed blocks being, when the spring passesthrough its median position, to give it a very qulck or snap action which is undes rable.

The present improvements eliminate the danger bf over-stressing the spring and over-compressing the blocks in the manner described by providing for relativel free elongation of the spring at one end. in the Hotchkiss-drive, for instance, it is proposed to confine the front end of each rear spring within a cushion connection while leaving the rear end relatively free for all elon tion. To thiscnd, the cushion connection for the rear end of thev spring is made of either different dimensions or difieren'tent positions of the spring under different loads being indicated by dotted lines.

. Figures 2 and 3 are detailedviews in vertical section at the front and-rear ends, respectivel of the spring shown in Figure 1.

As in icated hereinbefore, and as will be i more apparent as the description proceeds, the present improvements are not to be limited in their application to the rear. springs of a motor vehicle nor to the Hotchkiss type of drive but it is believed that the widest use fulnessiwill be found in .Such an ap lication.

Further, it is-to-be-understoodthatt e drawings are of very conventional character and are intended -merely to illustrate, in diagrammatic manner, the principle underlyin the improvements. The side frame mem r a is suppprted "on and connectedto the spring b y the cushion elements c, d, d1sposed,' respectively, at the front ings d, respectively, secured to the frame blocks to a corresponding degree.

all in general accordance with the construction disclosed in Patent No. 1,404,876. Where the spring I; has a relatively lar e defiection as indicated by the concave an convex dotted lines 6, 6 respectively, in Fig-- ure 1, it is apparent that if the ends of the spring are confined by the blocks a, d, the spring will be greatly stressed at its median position (shown in full lines in Figure 1) and the blocks themselves will be deformed to such an extent as to place them under greatcom ression. The energy thus stored up will, 0 course, be expended by the spring and the blocks at the instant the s ring passes through its median position an this will cause an undesirable quick or snap action of the spring. In accordance with the present improvements it is roposed to avoid this condition by leaving t e spring a considerable degree of freedom at one end so that all of its elongation, if any, need not be compensated for'" by deformation (if tlfie i t t e same time, it has been found desirable to rein predetermined positions of the spring.

.55 material tain the cushioning efi'ect of these blocks to some degree so in the preferred form one or both of these blocks may be placed under some degree of compression either in all, or

lVhen the improved suspension is incorporated in the Hotchkiss type of drive it is proposed to confine the front end of the spring b by the block a so that driving forces transmitted through the spring will always be ap-- plied directly to the block and through it to the frame. The rear end of the spring, how ever, is mounted in a block which is of such form, or such dimensions, or in such relation to the spring that a considerable degree of freedom is afi'orded for elongation. In the type of block shown in Figure 3 a considerable mass of material is interposed between the upper and lower sides of the spring and the walls of the housing, such masses being indicated at d and d respectively. These sections of the block may be seated on metal seats e rovided therefor on the sprin and may a so be seated in the housing in specially prepared seats. (1.

a relatively great mass of yieldin this section eing indicated at H desired, instead of exposing this section (Z for direct engagement by the end of the spring the spring may have secured thereto a specially tormed -seat e for engagement with the section (1 this seat, in the illustrated embodiment, being formed with the seats e for the other sections 02 d? of the cushion connection. For manufacturing and mechanical considerations. it is proposed to mould the sec-.

mes es tions (1 (i d, in a unitary block, the sections d and d being united with the section d through relatively thin or weakened sections d whereby free fiex'ion of the sections d d with respect to the housing and with respect to the section d -is permitted.

The connection of the spring at its front end to the frame may be generally similar to that illustrated in Patent No. 1,400,563 dated December 20, 1921, the invention not being limited to the character of this connection, except that it is proposed to have the front end of the spring relatively but not absolutely fixed with relation to the frame while the rear end of the spring ma move with some degree of freedom re atively thereto.

The improved suspension insures the transmission of driving forces through: the

spring to the frame by means of the cushspring will be compressed to some degree but not to an objectionable degree while the spring itself will not be over-stressed in effec'ting' this degree of deformation of the material of the cushion connections. Accordingly, when the spring passes through its median osition it will not be sub'ect to a sna or quick action such as woul be objectionable although the non-metallic yielding connections between its ends and the frame will always function in accordance with the, principles underl ing the construc tion'disclosed by Patent 0. 1,404,876.

Aside from the latitude in matters of design indicated hereinbefore it is to be understood that the precise form anddimensions of the cushion connections emploiyed may be changed as thought desirable. urther, in-

stead of having unitary blocks at the opposite ends of the spring it is evident that the same results might be obtained by providing a plurality of separately formed blocks so disposed as to accomplish the ends sought.

'What we claim is: Y

1. Inmombination with the s ring and frame of a motor vehicle, a w olly nonmetallie mechanical connection and support interposed between one endzof the spring and the frame and comprising a block of non-metallicyielding material engaged with the end of the spring and means secured to the frame and holding theend relatively fixed, within limits, with respect to the frame, and a wholly non-metallic support interposed between the other end of the s ring and the frame and comprising a b ock of non-metallic yielding material en gaged with the end of the s ring, and means to secure the block to the rame, said block' adording free elongation of the spring.

block against relative movement, within limits, with respect to the frame, and means to connect the rear end of the spring to the frame with capacity for relative movement therebetween.

3. In combination with the spring and frame of a motor vehicle, a wholly non-metallic mechanical connection and support in- .terposed between an end of the spring andthe frame and comprising a block of non-metallic yielding material engaged with the end of the spring, a housing for the block secured to the frame and confining the block to hold it against displacement with respect to the frame and to hold the end of the spring against relative movement, within limits, with respect to the frame, a wholly non-metallic support interposed between the other end of the spring and the frame and comprising sections of non-metallic yielding material engaged with the end of the spring, means to secure said sections to the frame and hold them against displacement with respect thereto, said sections being flexible to permit relativel free movement of the end of the spring with respect to the frame, and means to oppose yieldingly elongation of the sprin when in certain positions.

.4. n combination with the spring and frame of a motor vehicle, a wholly non-metallic mechanical connection and support interposed between an end of the spring and the frame and comprising a block of nonmetallic yielding material engaged with the end of the spring, a housing for the block secured to the frame and confining the block to hold it against displacement with respect to the frame and to hold the end of the spring against relative movement, within limits, with respect to the frame, a wholly non-metallic support interposed between the other end of the spring and the frame and comprising sections of non-metallic yielding a material engaged with the end of the'spring, a housing to secure said sections to the frame and hold them against displacement with respect thereto, said sections being flexible to permit relatively free movement of the end of the spring with respect to the frame, and a non-metallic section of yielding material interposed between the last named end of the spring and saidhousing to oppose yieldingly elongation of the spring in certain positions. I

5. In combination with the rear spring and frame of a motor vehicle, a wholly nonmetallic mechanical connection and support interposed between the front end of the spring and the frame and including a section of non-metallic yielding material disposed at the end of the spring to receive driving forces therefrom, means to secure said section to the frame of the vehicle, whereby the front end of the spring isheld yieldingly against relative movement with respect to the frame, within limits, and means to connect the rear end of the spring to the frame with capacity for relatively free movement with respect to the frame.

6. An article vof manufacture comprising a unitary block of yielding material adapted to be supported on-the frame of a motor vehicle and having a recess to receive the end of a spring and formed with opposed sections engaging the upper and lower sides of the spring respectively and adapted to flex freely upon elongationof the spring.

7. As an article of manufacture a unitary block of yielding material adapted to be supported on the frame of a motor vehicle and having upper and lower sections adapted to engage the opposite faces of the spring and flex freely upon elongation thereof and having a third section adapted to be en aged by the end of the spring to oppose yiel ingly elongation thereof.

This specification signed this 26 day of May, A. D. 1922.

ALFRED F.' MASURY. AUGUST H. LEIPERT. 

